How do you lo-till spring beans?

24 October 2001



How do you lo-till spring beans?

We have a Simba Freeflow drill. Can we use it for lo-till sowing spring beans? What pre-sowing cultivations would be necessary? The soil type is medium clay loam.

The Freeflow can be used successfully for sowing spring beans.

The main problem I experience with this drill is from the front tines making the soil too loose, so try drilling with them not working at all (you might need some for wheel eradication).

A shallow cultivation might help to create some soil flow and to level the field, but I would try without doing anything and drill straight in.

With 20/20 hindsight, I would have cultivated in the autumn to flush grass weeds, especially blackgrass. This would then have reduced the need to cultivate in the spring.

From:Steve Townsend